This invention relates in general to a teaching aid and more particularly to an electronic device capable of being used effectively to teach very young pupils basic counting and number skills. The device is capable of being operated in modes of varying complexity so that it is a desirable training aid for the pupil just beginning to learn counting skills as well as for the pupil who is more advanced in his mastery of these skills.
A great deal of prior art exists relating to machines which utilize interchangeable cards having various questions or problems to be solved by the user of the machine. Prior art also exists which provides for cards having holes registering with contacts so that a probe may penetrate a hole and engage a contact which through an electrical circuit will permit an indication of a correct or an incorrect answer. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,104,718; 3,869,810; 3,314,166; 3,100,352; and 3,106,784 illustrate the related prior art.
As can be seen from the prior art referred to above, and particularly U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,810, there exist machines for teaching children simple mathematics and/or association of words with objects by using interchangeable cards having pictorial and/or textural matter thereon in multiple choice question fashion. The matching capability of the present invention is not its novel function. It is basically a device capable of teaching the most basic numeric concept -- the correlation of numbers to counted items. In its simplest mode of operation, the device permits the pupil to produce a variety of counted items (illuminated lamps) and immediately see the associated numeral displayed, thereby permitting the pupil to learn the count-number relationship by experience and self education. Obviously, the pupil may accomplish this at his own rate of learning.
One of the problems with heretofore known machines is that very young children are capable of learning basic counting before they are capable of handling the task of constantly changing program cards. Young children can also learn by repeated associations before they are ready to do multiple choice matching.
This device enables the very young pupil to work alone for hours, learning by repeated correct association, without changing a single program card. The pupil simply turns a selector knob to any of nine detent positions which he may select at random, always viewing the proper count-numeral relationship.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which the pupil may use in a self-education manner to learn a vocabulary of words for numbers associated with the count-number relationships which have been mastered in the simpler mode of operation of the present invention. By replacing the interchangeable program card with another appropriate program card bearing number words with associated electrical contact points, the pupil may select a variety of count items (illuminated lamps). Then, by touching the attached probe to the electrical contact adjacent to the written number word corresponding to the displayed count items, the pupil may immediately determine if the correct word has been chosen. If the answer is correct, the numeral answer will also be displayed, reinforcing the child's earlier learning experience. If an incorrect number word is selected, no numeral will be illuminated and the pupil will have to continue to make selections until a numeral is illuminated. A correct answer therefore reinforces the three-way relationship -- count, number, and word, by displaying the correct numeral for the corresponding count and word. Once again, it should be noted that after the program card is inserted for this mode of operation, the pupil may use the device for hours of self-study without changing program cards.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which the pupil may use in a self-education manner to learn the concept of simple addition and subtraction. This may be accomplished in either of the previous modes of operation of the device as described above. The selection of count items is accomplished by turning a selector knob from one detent position to any of nine other detent positions. Turning the selector knob to the right will add to the count items illuminated, while turning the selector to the left will subtract from the number of count items by extinguishing one illuminated lamp for each detent position. The pupil can quickly learn this "add" or "subtract" relationship by observation as the teaching device is used. In the matching mode of operation the pupil may turn the selector knob to increase or decrease the number of count items and then select the appropriate word for the sum or the difference, receiving immediate affirmation with the displayed numeral answer if his answer is correct.
The present invention can also be used as a simple matching machine. By means of another interchangeable program card, only one of the count lamps is illuminated for each of the detent positions. The overlay on the program card depicts on one portion of the card numbered problems or questions to be answered. By turning the selector knob, the pupil will cause a lamp to be illuminated directly above one of the numbered problem areas. The portion of the program card not used to depict questions bears a variety of answers with associated cntact points. The pupil may use the probe attached to the device to touch the contact point adjacent to the appropriate answer to the question beneath the illuminated count lamp. No numeral will be illuminated unless the answer is correct. A correct answer will produce an immediate affirmative indication by illuminating the numeral which is the problem number.
It is obvious that there is virtually no limit to the variety of materials which may be used on interchangeable program cards or on interchangeable program cards which themselves have interchangeable overlays. Therefore the present invention may be used for general matching applications as well as for its specialized purpose of developing basic number skills. This dual application eliminates the need for the user to purchase two types of equipment.